


Valentine

by myotishia



Series: Call of the void [10]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:21:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myotishia/pseuds/myotishia
Summary: As valentines day approaches Owen is avoiding his birthday and everyones minds are on romance, but not everything is roses and love hearts.New reader? Start righthere
Relationships: Gwen Cooper/Rhys Williams, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Owen Harper/Toshiko Sato
Series: Call of the void [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580095
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Valentine

“Owen’s being unreasonable!” Tosh complained, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed. 

Jack chuckled. “Isn’t he always? But why this time?”

“He says he doesn’t want to do anything for his birthday.”

“I said we were already doing something for valentines so there’s no point.” Owen clarified.

“But it’s your birthday.” 

“Any other night I am happy to go out but I hate being around couples trying too hard just to get the chance to maybe have a clumsy drunken roll around. It’s sad. Valentines we stay in.”

“It doesn’t have to be on the night but we should do something nice.”

“Jack, tell her. We’re not ageing anymore. Birthdays don’t mean anything now.”

“You should celebrate.” Jack said, matter of factly. 

“Favouritism. That’s what that is.” 

“I care about all of my employees equally.”

“If that was true I’d have to let you down. And I don’t let people down gently.” 

Tosh pouted. “Stop changing the subject. Your birthday is still important.” 

“It really isn’t. If it is then why don’t we celebrate Harkness’ birthday?”

“That’s a point. When is your birthday?” 

Jack shrugged. “I’ve jumped around in time and space so much I’ve forgotten. One date on one planet is different than the date on another.”

“You should choose one then. We could have a cake.”

“See how many candles we can fit on it before it counts as a fire hazard?” Owen smirked. 

“We’d just need a bigger cake.”

Jack laughed. “I’m fine without any of that. Anyway, this isn’t about me. This is about you.”

“So you’re not going out on valentines day?” Asked Gwen, turning her chair around so she was actively part of the discussion instead of just listening in.

Owen shook his head. “No, we’re staying in.”

“Going out’s romantic.”

“Like I said any other night I am happy to go out but I hate being around couples trying too hard just to get the chance to maybe have a clumsy drunken roll around, and Gwen who’s also out for a clumsy roll around while the sprogs with the babysitter.”

“Shut up.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Not the point.”

“Anyway, we’ve got plans for valentines itself.”

“We could have an office party for your birthday.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun.”

“No.”

Elise placed down her sledge hammer and stood back to admire her work. Victorian walls, even those that weren’t load bearing, were a lot tougher than modern ones. But her and Ianto had made good progress in opening up the room. They’d cleaned off the huge, round, window so some light shone in from the hub below and Myfanwy had peeked her beak in once or twice, confused at the noise and movement in what she considered her territory. Ianto wiped the sweat from his brow and pulled down his dust mask. 

“At least there’s no asbestos.” He said, leaning on his own sledgehammer. 

She pulled off her own mask. “That would have been a bitch. Thankfully it’s just brick dust and potentially lethal wiring.” 

“Think we’ve done enough to take a break?”

“Yea. I could murder a coffee. Oh, and by the way, I never ended up getting to look in that supposedly empty room.”

“Should I meet you there?”

“Can do. And you’ve got a little something… um…” She gestured to her face then widened the circle to point out the fact that he was covered in dust. 

He chuckled. “I think you’re doing worse than I am.” 

After watching him walk away she headed to the empty room. The door made a grinding noise as she pushed it open. The room itself was relatively big and had been set up in a similar way to a cinema. Lines of seats, upholstery long degraded, surrounded a kind of projector. It certainly didn’t look Victorian in design, especially the scanner orb on the top. She’d seen Tosh working on things like that before. She moved some of the chairs so there was a clear path to the door, ready for the item to be moved, when she heard footsteps. Ianto returned with two mugs. 

“Check this out. They had a little cinema up here and… Well, whatever this is. It looks like a projector of some kind but it has a scanner orb on top.”

Ianto handed her her mug. “After our break we can take it down for Tosh to look at if you want.”

“A memory projector. I haven’t seen one of those in years.” Jack beamed as the machine was carried in. Ianto placed the bulky machine down on a table, catching his breath as carrying it had been hard work. 

Tosh approached the new item. “Memory projector?”

“Yea. Well, it’ll project whatever thought you give it but memories always come out sharper.”

“How?”

“You just concentrate on the memory you want to show then put your hand here.” He placed his hand on the scanner orb and small lights flashed on top before the projection flickered to life. On the far wall it showed Tosh, replaying the last few minutes from Jacks point of view. She giggled. “That’s brilliant. And it works for any memory?”

“Absolutely anything.”

“Oh!” Elise exclaimed. “Can I try?”

“Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“One thing I thought noone would ever get to see.” She placed her hand on the device and after a slight haze cleared it seemed to show an infinite void. Thunder crashed and light filled the area, a tear ripping open in the darkness with a sudden rush of water. Giant salt crystals sparkled in the mist created from the rushing water.

“Is this… Inside the rift?”

“Wait for it.” The massive waterfall was suddenly illuminated from behind, decorating the air with multiple rainbows. Small balls of light bobbed around the area like butterflies, attracted by the show. In the distance more tears in time and space glowed and energy crackled, barely audible over the roar of the water. 

Owen stepped forward to get a better look. “The ocean planet and the dying star.”

“Exactly. Each of those crystals is easily bigger than our house. There are creatures living further down that live on the salt. This event brings beings from everywhere as this is the only reliable source of water.”

The bright light of the star faded, leaving only an eerie glow around the impossible river to show the vague shape of creatures approaching. The projection moved as if Elise had been sitting on some kind of mobile platform. Not too far from the truth as she reached down to pet the head of some kind of giant bird. It happily closed six of its eight eyes and made a call that sounded like a hive of angry bees, before landing with a click of talons on rock. Elise had slid down onto the surface of the salt platform, a safe distance from the rushing water. The bird, that looked to have thin scales instead of feathers slid down into the water, bobbing along and watching the water move below it. It dove and swiftly emerged with a beak full of fish that it gulped down whole, its iridescent scales shining in the low light. A voice drifted through the darkness. 

“My lady? Your presence is requested.” The voice sounded male, deep and loud. Elise had turned, looking up at a being made of a mass of eyes and glowing tendrils. 

“Don’t call me that. And I’ll head back as soon as Revin has eaten.” The memory of Elise replied. 

Somehow, the mass of eyes looked nervous. “P-please my… Elise?... Is that what you wish me to call you?”

“That is my name, Archeth. Tell Rofocale I’ll get to them when I get to them.”

“Their eminence is being quite impatient-”

“Being a bitch you mean. What do you think of this?”

“The water? It is… Powerful. Did you bring it here?”

“No, this was here long before me. It’s terrifying but you have to admit it’s beautiful.”

“If I must my la-” Archeth was cut off by a large fish being thrown into it. The bird creature climbed back up, licking its beak.

She stood and jumped onto its back. “That wasn’t very nice Revin.”

“Accursed beast!” The mass glared, pulling itself from underneath the still wriggling fish. Revin let out its buzzing cry and lifted high into the air, showing the true scale of the waterfall and river before the memory faded. 

Elise turned back to see everyone still staring at where the projection had been. “Isn’t it cool?”

Gwen pulled over a chair and sat. “It’s something… Sorry, my brain is trying to let that sink in.”

“It’s infinite.” Tosh breathed, brushing her hair out of her face. “Impossible.”

Jack was smiling brightly. “Hard to believe that’s part of just a rip in time and space.”

“Um… Is everyone ok?” Asked Elise, her joy fading. 

“I think they’re having a small existential crisis.”

She deflated, playing with her fingertips. “I’m glad I didn’t show anything else.”

“Maybe when this one’s sunk in you can.”

“Yea… I guess.” She frowned, looking at the floor. “I should get back to knocking down walls.”

“Elise?”

“See you guys in a bit.” She walked off without another word.

Elise dropped her sledge hammer, catching her breath as best she could through the dust mask. She wanted to keep going but there was nothing left to hit. She finally heard knocking on the door. 

“Dust’s just settling.” She called out, dragging the hammer to the corner and starting to clean up. 

Jack walked in and waved the dust cloud away from his face. “Are you ok? You ran off.”

“Yea. I guess I did.” She tossed another chunk of debris into one of the plastic tubs they’d been using to hold the bricks. “Everyone ok?”

“Yea. It took a while to sink in but everything’s fine.”

“Sorry… I just wanted to share what I thought… Never mind.”

“No. Come on. Talk to me.” He turned one of the empty plastic tubs upside down and sat.

She didn’t turn to him. Just continued tidying up. “It **was** beautiful… Wasn’t it?”

“It really was.”

“I didn’t even think it could be anything but that but… I suppose not everyone can see past the rest of the rift.”

“They’ve barely seen another planet. It’s just a lot to take in. You shouldn’t take it so personally.”

“Well, maybe I can’t help it. I know it’s stupid but… It hurts. I don’t even know why it hurts but it does!” She threw a brick into the tub, throwing up a small plume of dust.

“It’s lonely knowing things no one else understands.” 

“Does it get better?”

He shrugged. “With enough time.”

“Jack… I don’t think I’m ok.”

“Huh?”

She stopped, sitting on the floor. “I’m trying but… Sometimes I get so angry. I don’t know if it’s at the world or myself or what, but it burns and I don’t know what to do. I’ve been trying to let it out in controlled situations, but sometimes I feel like it isn’t helping. It’s like I’m all knotted up inside. I know I’ve lost my temper in the past but this is… This is something else.”

“For how long?” He knelt in front of her.

She shrugged softly. “I don’t know. A while.”

“Have you told Owen this?”

“No… I try but I always feel like I’m being stupid. Maybe I’m overreacting.”

“If it’s getting to you this much then you’re not overreacting. You’ve never lashed out at anyone here, have you?”

“What?! No, no, of course not! I’d never… I just don’t want to hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it... Huw… Wendy… They were so angry.”

“They weren’t right to begin with.”

“Still. I never want to end up like that.”

“You won’t.” He brushed her fringe from her face. “Why don’t you call it a day on this? You’re shaking.”

She looked at her hands and he was right, she was. She pulled off her gloves and tossed them aside. “I probably overdid it again.” 

“Need a hand?” He stood and offered his hand to help her up, which she took. Her hand was cold. He frowned. “Your hands should be warm in those gloves.”

“It feels warm from here.” 

He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. “You’re running a fever. Take a shower then go home. Even if it’s from overwork you shouldn’t be here with a fever.” 

“I should get rid of this brick dust anyway. It can’t be helping.”

“I wonder why they left it behind.” Gwen mused, watching Tosh examine the projector.

The tech expert shrugged. “It looks in perfect condition so I’m not sure. It should have at least been archived.”

“If they were moving it by hand I don’t blame them for leaving it up there.” Ianto said, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension that hauling the machine down after demolishing walls all morning had caused. 

“Didn’t you find a diary up there Owen?”

Owen looked up, pulled from his thoughts. “Oh yea.” He wandered round to his desk and grabbed the leather bound book that had been abandoned on the corner, under a stack of papers he should really get to, and passed it to Ianto. The Welshman flicked through the old diary, half watching Tosh as she took the casing from the projector. He came to a page with a detailed charcoal and chalk drawing of the projector. 

_ I found Michael sitting beside the projection device again. I have heard talk of him slowly falling to madness after the tragedy. His poor family. What a curse it is to be left behind and to have been the one to find them. He was watching his wedding day. His wife, Daisy I believe her name was, smiling on the wall. She was beautiful even if she did not have an expensive gown. I am not sure of her origin but her family looked to have a delightful tradition. Each member with flowers woven delicately into their hair. If I am ever to be wed I should love to be decorated in such a way. Then the image faded to his children. His youngest only a babe in arms and eldest too young to understand why her father is away so often. I sat a while with him and though he made no sound I could see the tears running from his tired eyes. He had a smile on his face, but it looked more like the threatening growl of a wolf than a truly happy sign. I hear him sobbing at night, awakening from slumber screaming in fear and grief. My visions began when I came into contact with a similar device. I wonder if they are connected somehow. A foolish thought. If that were the case then many of the people here would too be having visions. I asked him when he last ate but he gave me no answer, only stared on at the repeated memories of happier times. I will report his condition to our doctor and hope that he will find his senses once more.  _

_ Thursday 16th January _

_ We are all grieving for Michael this dreary day. Perhaps he died from a broken heart. He lay next to his precious projector when he was discovered. Though he had fallen away from it the device still played the memory of his lost family. Pearl found him. She told me the projection showed him standing with his bride. She tells me he must have been so delusional that he had begun imagining the scene from a separate point of view. She did not wish to speak of it more but I admit my curiosity overtook my sense of compassion in that moment. She told me that as she moved to end the projection she heard a voice ordering her to stop. At first she thought she had maybe been mistaken in her judgement of Michaels condition but the sound did not come from him. He was as cold as ice. She turned back to the projection and it showed a deep darkness with the image of Michael himself standing in the centre. He looked at her. Right into her eyes and have his wolf grin. Something in him changed and warped. His eyes blank and white, a hunting blade clutched in his fingers. She switched off the projection as he began to approach her. I have heard nothing more of it yet. Pearl has been called to a meeting and we have all been forbidden from using the projection device until further notice. Whatever she saw. Was it made from Michaels grief? Or was it the thing that took his family from him? If it was then how long has it been with him, here, on those nights when he cried out. Was it even him who cried? I may never know.  _

_ _

Ianto turned his attention fully to the device. Gwen, who had been reading over his shoulder shuddered lightly.

“Does that mean we shouldn’t have touched it?”

Jack sat, deep in thought after being informed of what the team had read. It was possible that it was all unconnected and nothing was wrong at all but they had to find out either way. Elise was reading the diary passage for herself as Ianto returned with any documents he could find about the incident. There wasn’t much. 

“I found the coroner's report from Michael Pierces death and the death of his family.” Ianto announced, holding up the yellowed folder. “They’re… interesting.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Good interesting or bad interesting?”

“Well, his wife and two children were found slaughtered in their own home. He found them, like the diary said. What it didn’t say was that it was his wife that was found holding the murder weapon.”

“So it was a murder suicide?” Asked Gwen.

“No. She was still holding the knife but her throat had been crushed. It was so bad she’d almost been decapitated. That ruled Michael out as the one who killed her. He was returned to work but under close observation. For the first few weeks nothing was out of the ordinary, other than the nightmares. He spent most of his time in the projector room. Then he began having violent outbursts, usually against himself. Any mirrors in his room were removed. Finally he just shut down. Which brings us the the coroners report. His official cause of death was asphyxia. Whatever happened to him that night had made him clench his jaw so hard he broke his own teeth. Nothing was blocking his airway. The projector was deemed safe after testing but it was unused until the earthquake caused that area to be closed off.”

“So whatever killed his wife possessed him? Why did it kill him before moving to another host?” 

“This is literally all we have. Unless someone else saw him that night it could have died with him or…”

“Jumped into the projector.”

Jack fidgeted uncomfortably. “Which we used. We need to find a way of seeing if this thing was still active and if either of us is hosting it.”

“It took weeks to show any symptoms. We can’t just have you both locked up for that long.”

“It said this thing was more active when the bloke was asleep.” Owen began, checking over the coroners report. “If we could get you into a twilight sleep it might be enough to try and draw it out if it’s there.”

Gwen gave him a blank look. “Sorry, I’m not a medical professional. What’s a twilight sleep?”

“You know when people have their wisdom teeth out? They’re sedated but they’re not fully unconscious. It’s a bit like being on the very edge of sleep. If I can get the level just right you’ll still be able to talk.”

“Worth a shot.” Jack agreed. “You want to go first or second?”

Elise closed the book. “I’ll go first. You might be difficult to put out.”

Owen looked up as he heard Elise sleepily giggling to herself. “You feeling ok?”

“Kinky.” She grinned, looking at the straps around her wrists with barely open eyes. “We said nothing at work.”

“Nothing at work. Gwen, it sounds like she’s ready to answer any questions.”

Gwen walked in, holding a notepad to jot down anything that came up. “If you’re sure. She seems very lucid.”

“Think of it like when you wake up in the middle of the night. You can talk, mostly, but you’re not really there.”

“Fun. Right then, Elise?”

“Mmhmm?” She smiled, looking to all the world like she was napping. 

“Is there anything in your mind you don’t recognise?”

“No… Just the… usual.”

“Can you check for me?”

There was a long pause. “Only me…. No… no ones answering… Same as always… Same since he left.”

“W-... Oh…” She looked to Owen who was just shaking his head. “I thought…”

“S’ok… He shouldn’t be stuck… here too.”

“Elise, sweetheart, you’re not stuck here. I thought you were happy.”

“On Earth I am. In between… I want to stay at home.” Though her voice was still mumbled it sounded small, upset.

Gwen took her left hand, knowing that even if it felt cold she’d still be able to feel that someone was there. “You are home.”

“No… Drifting… Sleeping…. Lost.... Trapped.”

“Owen, we should wake her up. This isn’t right.”

He agreed, silently reversing the sedation before sitting next to them. “Eli. It’s ok. You’re going to wake up now.”

“I just… Just wanted something… To hold on to… Wasn’t enough… I’m sorry.” The bound woman sniffled, lip quivering as if she was trying not to cry.

“Oi, none of that talk. You’re just having a bad reaction to the sedation, yea? It can happen. You’re going to be fine.”

Gwen looked between them. “This can happen?”

“Her brain’s just trying to figure out why it can’t wake up so it’s convinced her it’s dying. It’s rare but it can happen. She’s fine, just scared.” 

“I’m suddenly glad I never had to have my wisdom teeth out.”

“She won’t even remember when she fully wakes up. The human brain is an anxious bitch.”

“At least we know she isn’t carrying the thing from the projector. If she was it would have tried to protect itself.” 

“And that means it’s either in Jacks head or wasn’t in the projector.”

“Fingers crossed for option B. Will you two be ok while I give the others the all clear?”

“Go ahead.”

Jack didn’t exactly like being sedated. It was the lack of control but it was better safe than sorry. He couldn’t feel anything in his head that shouldn’t be there, even on the edge of sleep. He answered Gwens questions as best as he could understand them. It wasn’t the first time he’d been questioned while in an intoxicated state but usually his interrogators were a lot less friendly. By the time he fully woke up again he was unbound and everyone was a lot more relaxed. A false alarm, great. Then why couldn’t he shake the feeling that he’d missed something. Once he felt steady on his feet he told everyone to head home. It was quiet and everyone had plans for the weekend that he was sure they’d want to get to. Gwen certainly had something to get to that night. She’d managed to get the babysitter to stay overnight so her and Rhys could have a night out. Dinner, a movie, and a hotel room so they could have a change in scenery. Now she’d have time to put on makeup and look a bit more presentable. Owen had picked Elise up in a firemans lift so they could go home without having to wait for her to be able to walk without worrying. Tosh had followed, contemplating a hopefully peaceful weekend. Once alone Jack turned to Ianto.

“I’m surprised you haven’t run off to shower yet, or were you waiting for some company?”

Ianto jumped. “Oh… Right. The dust. I got distracted by the projector.”

“Are you ok? You’re a bit jumpy.”

“It’s nothing. I was just worried with the possibility of one of us being possessed. I’ll get changed then I can go and get dinner.”

“Thinking of having a night in?”

“It’s been a long day.”

He smiled softly. It was true and maybe some fresh air was what his lover needed to get the dust out of his lungs. “Want some company?”

“I won’t be long… I…”

“What?”

“I want to pick something up from my old place and… I want to see if I can do this on my own.”

“Why didn’t you say so? Just keep in touch. I’ll be right with you if you need me.”

“Thanks.” Ianto nodded and gave a quick smile before rushing off to shower. 

That feeling that he was missing something was back with a vengeance. Why was Ianto acting so suspiciously? It couldn’t just be nerves. He’d ask him over dinner. 

Gwen frowned as her car spluttered to a stop. 

“Oh come on, not tonight.” She grumbled.

Rhys looked through the glove box and grabbed a torch. “Let me take a look. I’ll push this thing to the hotel if I have to.”

She chuckled as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. “We could camp out in the back.” She popped open the bonnet for him.

“I said I’d never do that again and meant it. My neck was sore for a week after last time.” He held the torch to see what was wrong, trying not to get too distracted by the memory of their night making the most of their time in the back seat of his first car. There was enough fuel and he couldn’t see anything at first. “Try and turn the engine over.” 

She turned the key but nothing happened. The lights didn’t even switch on. “Nothing. Is the battery dead?”

“It shouldn’t be. It’s too dark for me to see anything, might have to call the AA.”

“Brilliant.” She complained, grabbing her bag from the back seat. Digging through she couldn’t find her phone. It wasn’t in her pockets either. “Shit. I think I left my phone at home.”

Rhys sat back in the passenger seat to get out of the cold. “Mine’s dead. It’s going to be a long walk but maybe I can find a phone somewhere.”

“Everything’s closed. One sec.” She pulled her earpiece from her pocket. “Hopefully someone has theirs nearby.”

“At midnight?”

“I’m sure they’ll forgive me.” She tapped it to activate and send out a request signal. It would make any of the others beep for attention. After a moment a very worried Jack answered. 

“Are you ok? Have you heard from Ianto?”

“W-what? No. Jack, listen I need a favour. I’ve broken down and… Isn’t Ianto with you?”

“He went out to get dinner earlier. He said he wanted to grab something from his old flat… I gave him some time but now he isn’t answering his phone. I got worried and went over to his flat and he hasn’t been there.”

“Where could he have gone? Have you called Elise?”

“She’s out looking for him too.”

“I wish I could help but my car just died and my phone’s at home.”

“I’ll come and get you. I can track you through your earpiece… He was acting strangely before he left.”

“You don’t think.”

“He didn’t even touch the projector did he?”

“He carried it down. Even if he didn’t activate it maybe…” She was cut off as her car was rammed from behind. 

  
  
  



End file.
